Learning from Kylie Jenner’s Lips

Before Kylie Jenner admitted to using lip fillers, the online world was infatuated with her lusciously plump smackers.

Now, ‘what does this have to do with body image?’ you might ask, and the answer to this is, everything.

At the youthful age of eighteen, Kylie Jenner felt the need to inject her smile with temporary lip fillers.

After years of feeling uncomfortable with her lips, she decided to finally do something about it – good for her! The problem is however, that this is telling all other young girls that plastic surgery is necessary to be beautiful.

For a while, Kylie tried to keep the injections secret until finally she decided to tell the truth in regards to her lips. The reason for her hesitations she shared, was her fear of people judging her.

“I want to admit to the lips but people are so quick to judge me on everything, so I might have tiptoed around the truth, but I never lie,” Kylie said.

The thing is, I’m actually not against plastic surgery. I think if you’ve thought about it for years, have a sound reason for the operation, have enough money and have the doctor’s go-ahead then that’s everyone’s individual choice.

The problem with the media idolizing Kylie’s lips however is that the majority of people, young girls especially, don’t have the money nor the need to alter their appearance.

Kylie Jenner getting lip injections is basically saying to young girls that they need plastic surgery in order to be considered beautiful.

Insecurities. Everyone has them, every woman battles with them, but not many can do anything but diet, exercise, get a haircut or use different makeup.

Kylie admitted insecurities were the reason behind her choice to plump her lips, stating, “I have temporary lip fillers, it’s just an insecurity of mine and it’s what I wanted to do.”

The thing is, everyone has their own reason for changing their appearance but this is reinforcing the idea that in order to love yourself, you need medical “enhancements”.

Kylie Jenner has every right to get lip fillers, it’s just that for the millions of young women and girls who idolize the star this is saying to them that natural beauty isn’t of value. That you’re not good enough as you are.

Our generation is becoming increasingly surgery obsessed, and this scares me.

The other day, a good friend of mine confided in me that when she has a baby she will get a C-section and a Nip-and-Tuck following the child’s birth.

As the trend to get surgical enhancement is on the rise, all one can hope is that finally we will come to our senses and realise we are beautiful in our natural state. Surgery does not make beauty, kindness and love do.

Until next time,

SR